


Walking After Midnight

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-10
Updated: 2014-10-10
Packaged: 2018-02-20 14:25:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2432060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I'm a smart kid…I put two and two together.  Then I punched a hole in the wall.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Walking After Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> This story is told in the **Thicker than Water** universe. It was written for [](http://kosmickway.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://kosmickway.livejournal.com/)**kosmickway** ’s prompt in my alphabet meme, **J is for Jason pacing the apartment at night**.

He paced the short hallway, taking deep breaths. The apartment was quiet and dark except for the nightlight in the hallway. Jason put it there for Spencer and Penelope, in case they had to use the bathroom at night. It probably helped JJ as well but she would never admit it. There wasn’t much JJ would admit to.

She’d been the hardest for Jason to reach, even harder than Morgan; and he never reached Elle. He never fooled himself into thinking he’d got past the surface skin with JJ. Jason was patient though and these things couldn’t be rushed. She would come to him when she was ready.

The most important thing was having her in a safe environment where she felt free to express her emotions. Jason saw how quickly she bonded with Penelope, and to a lesser extent Emily, which meant she was capable of love and empathy. She was a survivor and after a while the open wounds of survival mode would heal into the faded scars of memory. He just didn’t know how long that would take.

“What's the matter?”

Jason jumped when he heard the voice. It took a moment for his brain to process the interruption and recognition to seep through.

“Nothing.” He turned to Hotch.

“You don’t pace the floor when nothing’s wrong. This is the second night you’ve been up.”

“OK, you got me on that one.”

“What's the matter, Jason?”

“I don’t want to…” Jason sighed.

“What? You don’t want to burden me?” Hotch leaned against the wall. “We’re in this together. We’ve been in this together for five years. You’ve never treated me like a fragile kid, don't start now.”

“What are we going to do if Judge Davis doesn’t emancipate Emily? What will happen if she has to go back to her family?”

“That’s not gonna happen.” Hotch shook his head.

“The Prentisses have a lot of power and Emily is just a 14 year old girl.”

“She’s almost 15. And you said that Dave went to the judge’s chambers and said he would take on some kind of custodial role until she was 18, right?”

“Yes, but what if that isn’t enough?”

Jason slid down the wall. He was worn out, wishing his mind would stop moving as much as his body wanted to. Emily surely wasn’t his only concern with school starting in a few weeks. So many things were coming at him quickly and he couldn’t dodge them anymore.

“No judge in her right mind would send her back to a place where she was abused.”

Jason froze. He stared straight ahead but moved his eyes to glance at Hotch. Hotch was staring straight ahead as well.

“Emily told you that she was abused?” he lowered his voice as if anyone else could hear them.

“In a matter of speaking. She said her Uncle mistreated her. She said her family handled situations inappropriately when she was hurting. I'm a smart kid…I put two and two together. Then I punched a hole in the wall.”

“You punched a hole in the wall?” now Jason looked at him.

“Well, not all the way through or anything; but I was angry. How can people be so sick and cruel to the ones they are supposed to love?”

“I don't know.” Jason shrugged.

“The judge won't send her back there. She belongs here with us…we love her.”

“I never thought I would hear you say something like that.”

“Well the little ones need her.” Hotch replied. “Spencer and Penelope are already attached and JJ feels comfortable with her. Derek’s warmed to her as well; he needs an older sisterly figure in his life. This family needs her, Jason.”

“But you said ‘we love her’.”

“You're gonna harp on that, aren’t you?”

“I'm just saying.”

Hotch smirked and Jason sighed.

“Sometimes I just worry. I worry a lot and sometimes no matter how hard I try I can't stop.”

“You're gonna give yourself ulcers.” Hotch replied. “I'm here to help carry some of the load. So are Emily and Derek too. It’s called family for a reason.”

“Yeah, I know.” Jason nodded.

“I mean it.”

“I know you do. It’s getting late; we both need to get some sleep. C'mon.”

He stood and helped Hotch from the floor. Surprising them both, Hotch hugged him. Then he said goodnight. Before going into his bedroom, Jason peeked in on the girls. He never went in while they were sleeping unless it was an emergency…both Emily and JJ were uncomfortable with it. But he poked his head in and all three of them were asleep.

In their room, Spencer was sound asleep as well. Jason smiled, taking his glasses off his face. The little boy clutched _Claudius the God_ like another kid might clutch a teddy bear. Jason left it; he didn’t want to wake him. He kissed his fingers, brushing them across Spencer’s cheek before climbing into his own bed.

Jason wasn’t sure when he was going to fall asleep. Being still was better than pacing though. Soon this would all come to a head, the judge would make her decision and Jason could breathe again. He feared he wouldn’t be able to breathe if they lost Emily…if he lost Emily. Hotch said they loved her but Jason thought he might love her the most. Those feelings were insane enough to deal with but when added to everything else Jason was sure he’d be up for some time to come.

***

  



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